RFA Lady Cory-Wright

Last updated

History
United Kingdom
NameLady Cory-Wright
Namesakeeither Lady Mima Cory-Wright or Lady Elizabeth Cory-Wright
Owner
Operator
Port of registry Civil Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg London [1]
Builder SP Austin & Son Ltd [2] [3]
Yard number237 [3] [4]
Launched4 August 1906 [4]
CompletedSeptember 1906 [4]
Maiden voyage1906
Fatetorpedoed 26 March 1918 [2]
General characteristics
Type
Tonnage2,516  GRT, 1,523  NRT [1]
Length310.0 ft (94.5 m) [1]
Beam44.1 ft (13.4 m) [1]
Depth20.3 ft (6.2 m) [1]
Decks1 [1]
Installed power251 NHP [1]
Propulsion3-cylinder triple expansion steam engine, single screw [1]
Crew40

RFA Lady Cory-Wright was a cargo steamship that had been built as a civilian collier in 1906, became a mine carrier in 1914 and was torpedoed and sunk with significant loss of life in 1918.

History

SP Austin & Son Ltd of Sunderland built her in 1906 for William Cory and Son. [2] [3] She was named Lady Cory-Wright after either Lady Mima, wife of Sir Cory Cory-Wright, 1st Baronet or Lady Elizabeth, wife of Sir Arthur Cory-Wright, 2nd Baronet.

In August 1914 the War Department requisitioned Lady Cory-Wright who used her as a mine carrier. [3] On 26 March 1918 she was in the English Channel steaming from Plymouth to Malta laden with a cargo that included 2,762 mines, 370 depth charges, 2,100 torpedo detonators and 1,000 primers B.E. [3] when the German submarine UC-17 torpedoed her about 14 miles off The Lizard. [2] [3] Lady Cory-Wright's Master and all but one of her crew were killed. [3]

After Lady Cory-Wright sank many of her mines were left floating in the area, and her one survivor reportedly was found clinging to a floating mine. In 2009 her wreck still contained many unexploded mines and detonators. [3]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Steamers". Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. I. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1914. LAC–LAD.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Helgason, Guðmundur. "Ships hit during WWI: Lady Cory-Wright". German and Austrian U-boats of World War I - Kaiserliche Marine - Uboat.net. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Lettens, Jan; Racey, Carl (9 February 2011). "SS Lady Cory-Wright [+1918]". WreckSite. wrecksite.eu. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 Searle, Peter. "Ships Built by Peter Austin & by later names thru Austin & Pickersgill Limited (1954>)". The Sunderland Site. Retrieved 28 June 2011.

49°45′N05°20′W / 49.750°N 5.333°W / 49.750; -5.333